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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. track — a path
  8. chip — for betting
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. track — a song
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mark — a trace
  16. track — to keep track
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mark — a grade
  23. chip — to eat
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com